


Appreciating Merlin

by snickersnack



Series: First kiss [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Magic Revealed, Merthur - Freeform, One Shot, few tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 04:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snickersnack/pseuds/snickersnack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Whilst Merlin quietly helps Arthur with his armor, Arthur has plenty of time to appreciate his servant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Appreciating Merlin

It was a day just like any other and a task carried out a hundred times. Arthur was standing in his chambers as Merlin dressed him in his armor. It was a task that Merlin could do with his eyes shut and this morning he did it quietly, his mind was miles away. 

Today Arthur was taking part in a tournament and Merlin was worried. He always worried before a big tournament. Someone always seemed to want to kill Arthur. There always seemed to be some revenge that needed to be exacted on the young prince. 

There had been no hint of a plot this time and for some reason this bothered Merlin more than if he had heard of some trouble brewing and he was deep in thought as he went about his work. 

This was one of Arthur’s favorite parts of a tournament. He tried to tell himself that he had always loved putting on his armor even before Merlin had come to work for him. But he knew this wasn't true. He loved Merlin dressing him. 

He loved the way Merlin had to stand so close. Merlin always smelt so good. This morning he had already been out to the woods for Gaius and smelt of the earth and fresh air. He had also banked up the fire and smelt of that too. 

He had noticed months ago that Merlin unintentionally matched his breathing with Arthurs. (Or maybe it was that Arthur matched his with Merlin) either way Arthur loved it. It helped to relax and focus him smoothing away pre-fight nerves. 

Arthur loved Merlin's breath on the back of his neck when he buckled his pauldron. 

He loved watching Merlin’s long nimble fingers buckle the vambrace and his sword belt. Nearly all Merlin’s shirts were too long in the sleeves and Arthur often noticed that he splayed his palms, sticking out his long thumbs to stop them slipping all the way down to engulf his fingers. Arthur could never work out why they were so long. It wasn't as if Merlin had short arms. 

This morning, Merlin was being unusually quiet. 

Sometimes they chatted whilst Merlin worked. Sometimes they laughed. Sometimes they bickered in that light hearted way that flowed so easily between them. Other times Merlin was quiet, broody and on edge, as if the weight of the whole world was on his shoulder. On those days Arthur wanted to hold him close, tell him everything would be alright and not let go until Merlin told him what was bothering him. 

This wasn't one of those silences. This was unusual. Arthur quite liked it. Merlin was so deep in thought that Arthur could study him to his heart’s content. 

Today, like nearly every other day, Arthur wondered how a man could be quite so pretty. There was nothing feminine about him and those ears really were very ridiculous. But it was the only word Arthur could think of to describe him. 

He loved the way Merlin’s dark, long eyelashes seemed to brush against the pale skin of his cheeks when he looked down. The way the light bounced off his sculptured cheek bones, the plumpness of those soft, red lips. No perhaps he was wrong; perhaps he was beautiful rather than pretty. Morgana was beautiful; could Merlin be described as beautiful too? 

Arthur always made sure he stood a long way from the table so that he would get a good look at Merlin's arse when he went to get the next piece of armor. Some days Merlin would complain, asking why he had to stand so far away. Arthur would just call him lazy or say he needed the exercise. Some days Merlin would just pull him closer to the table. Arthur would always let him. Sometimes he would hold on to the cuff of his shirt when he pulled him, but Arthur liked it best when Merlin’s warm hand circled his wrist as he led him closer to the waiting armor. 

Today Merlin was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even notice that Arthur took a little step back every time Merlin turned his back, to get the next piece. It gave Arthur an excellent view of that round pert bum that was just begging to be ogled. 

There had been a time not so long ago that Arthur would have described Merlin as gangly. All legs and arms working against each other. He had always reminded Arthur of a new born foal but recently he seemed to have grown into his long, slender limbs. Now Arthur would call him almost elegant. These days Arthur was reminded more of the woodland spirits from the stories his nanny and sometimes Gaius would tell him when he was small, before Uther forbade them from filling his head with such rubbish. 

Arthur knew Merlin had magic. He had seen him using it. To begin with he hadn't been sure and wasn't going to turn him in until he knew it to be true. By the time there was no doubt in his mind, it really didn't matter anymore. He knew enough about Merlin to know he wasn't evil. He trusted Merlin and wasn't prepared to see him die. Arthur was sure that when he had proved to Merlin that he could trust him he would tell him. He had been so close once in Ealdor but then Morgana had interrupted. Then Will had said that he was a sorcerer and Arthur had been angry. Not because one of them had magic but because Will had stopped Merlin from telling the truth. Arthur knew he should have said something then. Let Merlin know what he was angry about, but he never did, leaving Merlin thinking he was angry about the magic. 

So yes Arthur knew about the magic. Maybe Merlin was a woodland spirit. He had such an ethereal look about him. 

Not for the first time, Arthur wanted to kiss him. He really wanted to kiss him. But what would Merlin say. The mood he was in this morning he might not even notice. Perhaps today would be a good day to try. 

Arthur was running out of time. Merlin was nearly finished. He was just getting his cloak from the back of the chair and bringing it over to Arthur. If he was going to, it would have to be now. 

Merlin shook out the cloak and held it up bringing it around behind Arthur and settling it across his shoulders. He started fastening it paying no attention to Arthur at all. They were standing so close. 

"Merlin" Arthur said quietly. It was the first time either of them had spoken. 

"Yes my lord" Merlin replied not taking his eyes off the clasp he was trying to fasten. It was a bit fiddly. 

My lord, Arthur loved it when Merlin called him that

"Look at me Merlin" Arthur said gently. 

Merlin looked up, he was still not paying much attention when Arthur leant forward closing the short distance between them and brushed his lips against Merlin’s. 

Arthur was surprised that Merlin didn't pull away but he gently put his hand on Merlin’s shoulder to hold him in place, just in case. 

Merlin let out a small gasp before his eyes slid shut and he leaned in a little closer. 

Encouraged, Arthur kissed a little harder, gently sucking and licking Merlin’s lower lip. Drawing a little moan from Merlin’s throat as he opened his lips allowing Arthurs tongue access. 

Merlin’s hand came up to rest on Arthur’s waist as the kiss deepened. 

After what felt like forever and no time at all, Arthur pulled back leaving Merlin standing peacefully with his eyes still shut. Arthur studied his face, looking for a reaction as Merlin’s eyes slowly opened and their gaze met. Merlin looked like he had just woken up from a deep sleep. 

"Why did you do that?" He asked not moving from their close proximity. 

Arthur gave a little shrug. 

"Because I wanted to.” He said "do you mind?"

"No," Merlin replied calmly "it was quite nice"

Arthur grinned. 

"So then, you wouldn't mind if I were to do it again?"

"Um, no. I think I might actually quite like it if you did. "

"You only think you might like it" Arthur teased. 

"Well, why don't you try it and I will let you know" said Merlin. Still very calmly. Much calmer than he was feeling. 

"Okay" Arthur said "sounds reasonable" and leaning forward he kissed Merlin again, putting his hand to the small of Merlin’s back and pulling him as close as the armor would allow. 

Merlin put one hand against the back of Arthur’s neck. Entwining his fingers in his hair making Arthur moan and shiver into his mouth. 

The kiss became frantic and hot as they held each other close. Tongues exploring each other’s mouths until they had to stop for breath. 

They leant their foreheads together whilst panting. 

"I'll tell you what we should do Merlin.” Arthur said. "We should go now and I will quickly win todays rounds of this tournament for you. Then we can come back here before this evenings feast and you can help to undress and maybe we could carry this on a bit?. Do you think you might like that?"

Merlin grinned.

"Yes sire" he said breathlessly "I would like that very much"

But then Merlin suddenly drew back, almost like he was snapping out from a dream. 

"Merlin, what's wrong" Arthur asked, panicked. What had he done? Merlin was changing his mind. Arthur felt he had ruined everything they had. He should have been happy to have such a good friend without asking for more. 

"I can't Arthur" Merlin said, looking at Arthur as if the world was going to end. 

In fact in Merlin’s mind it was going to end. He couldn't do this unless Arthur knew his secret and he really wanted to do this so he made the biggest snap decision of his life. 

"Arthur I have magic"

Arthur instantly relaxed. 

"So you decide to tell me now" he laughed. "Is that all? Yes I know that you idiot."

Merlin was stunned

"You know? And I'm still alive? How? Why?"

"Calm down Merlin" Arthur said. "I have known for a while because you use it all the time and I have seen you. And you are still alive because I don't want you dead. I knew you would tell me when you were ready. Though if I had known all it was going to take was a kiss, I would have kissed you years ago." He laughed again.

Merlin was staring at him with an expression of disbelief. 

"It’s fine Merlin.” He said running his hands up and down Merlin’s arms. "It’s fine.”

And Merlin knew that Arthur was right. It was fine. Arthur knew and he wasn't going to turn him in. 

Merlin grinned at this and threw his arms round Arthur’s neck. Relief flooding through his whole body as he cried tears of joy into Arthur’s neck. 

Arthur held him tight for a while until Merlin's tears subsided. 

"Come on" Arthur said into Merlin’s hair. “I need to get on with this tournament so we can get back here and carry on where we left of. If you still want to of course" he added

"Yes. Arthur" Merlin grinned "I really do."

x


End file.
